Apparatus for cleaning pipes



Feb. 11, 1936. 1 wA r AL 2,030,398

APPARATUS FOR CLEAQING PIPES Filed March 6, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I VENTORY TIORNEY.

Feb; 1 L. RIVARD ET AL 2,030,398

' APPARATUS FOR'CLEANING PIPES Filed March 6, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 7 1.7 a ay Ill/111111, [Ill/I114 \QVEE'TOR: AM in Patented Feb. 11,1936

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING PIPES Lionel I. Rivard and Cyril I. Bomster, New Haven, Conn.

Application March 6, 1935, Serial No. 9,623

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a system and apparatus for cleaning pipes, particularly pipes that conduct beer' from a barrel, or the like, to the delivery faucets. While shown and described as associated with beer barrels and the like, obviously it will be equally effective for cleaning pipes associated with soda fountains, boilers and other mechanisms having conductor pipes.

It is the object of this invention, among other things, to provide such a system that will scour and clean the pipes by the movement of solutions, water, etc., under pressures in opposite directions, as may be desired, such movement being variable at the will of the operator, and apparatus therefor that-is primarily portable and attached to and detached from the pipes with the minimum labor and inconvenience.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in a certain new system and apparatus for cleaning the interior of pipes, the operations and details of which will more particularly appear from the following description and the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, in which like numerals of reference indicate like parts in the several figures;

Figure 1 is a view of the apparatus operatively associated with two beer barrels, faucets and the like;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view thereof;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end view; and

Figures 4 and 5 are sectional views of a portion of the valve mechanism, the valve being shown in two of its several positions.

In the drawings, the numerals l0 and H indicate two beer barrels; l2 and I3 tapping tubes connected with the barrels; and i4 and I5 valves. Connected, through intermediate fittings, with an air pipe 16 and the tubes I2 and I3 are the tubes l1 and I8 respectively. j

Air is admitted to the air pipe Hi from the air cylinder l9 or the like, containing air under pressure, through the tube 20. Any other source of air supply can, of course, be substituted for that described.

The bar over which the liquid from the barrels l0 and II is dispensed is designated 2|, and mounted thereon are the companion faucets 22 and 23 that are each connected with one of the barrels through the coiled pipes 24 and 25, respectively, enclosed within a suitable refrigerating device 26. The coiled pipe 24 is connected with the barrel Ill by the pipe 21 and the coiled pipe 25 with the barrel H by the pipe 28. The

pipes 21 and 28 the cleaning process,

connected from joined by a coupling usually flexible, and during at which time they are disbarrels, the ends may be 29 (Figure 1). The relaare the

the

with the barrel, is shown by the The mechanism above described is the conven tional means for connecting beer barrels with the bar faucets and constitutes no part 01' the present invention.

The apparatus prises a base member two glass cylinders 32 provided with a head head members 35 at the constituting this invention com- 3l, on which are mounted and 33, each of which is opposite ends, which are joined by a connecting pipe 36 having a suitable valve pipe 36 has 31. A tank In is is threaded into removable cover the hinged studs 43 Secured in th 31 and actuated by the lever 38. The

an outlet drain 39 just below conductor pipe 45 and in the head of the cylinder 33 is a similar pi pe 46. Valves 41 and 48 are associated with pipe 45 and on pipe 46 is the valve 49 and coupling is the pipe 5|, having a tank 53 having a secured thereto in a 42. Between the pipe tube 55, and between is a tube 56.

Between the tanks 50. Leading into this coupling a valve 52, and supporting manner similar to the cover 46 and the faucet 22 is a the pipe and faucet 23 and 53 is a pipe 58 having an air inlet coupling 59 therein and upon opposite sides thereof the valves 60 and 6|.

The beer in the by pressure,

and 23.

barrels is forced therefrom derived in this case from the compressed air of the cylinder 21 and 28,

I9, through the pipes coil pipes 24 and 25 to the faucets 22 To clean the pipes, the ends 30 of the pipes 21 and 28 are disconnected from and I3 and joined by the tapping tubes l2 the coupling 29, substantially as shown in Figure l, the admission of air into the inlet pipe apparatus is the other convenient 16 being first shut off. The n placed on top of the bar or place (Figure 1), and the tubes 55 and 56 are connected, as above described. As

thus assembled through all of the there is a complete circuit pipes, coils, cylinders, etc.

The first operation, generally referred to as a rinsing operation material in the p is to eliminate the crystallized assages by washing them out, as

lower ends of these pipes,

member 34 at one end and cover 54 that is separably well as any other accumulated foreign material. If such is not entirely washed out it is loosened by this operation and readily removed at a succeeding operation.

A solution is placed in the tank 53 to which a limited supply of hot water is admitted through a pipe 51. The valves 41, 49 and 6| are now closed and the valves 48 and 52 opened. After the water passes through the solution and the tank, it travels by gravity through the pipe valve 52, faucet 22, coiled pipe 24, pipe 21, coupling 29, pipe 28, coiled pipe 25, faucet 23, tube 56, and escapes through the valve 48. Only suificient water is admitted to this circuit to wash out the passages through which it travels. In practice, about two quarts are usually sufilcient. When the water supply is shut'ofi the valve BI is opened and air under pressure is admitted to the tank 53 which forces any remaining water and solution through the passages in the circuit above outlined and the valve 48. The so-called first operation is now complete.

For the next operation the valves 41 and 49 are opened, valves 48, 52 and BI are closed, and cold water is now admitted through pipe 62 into tank 40, containing a chemical solution different than that in tank 53. This water is forced through the solution, which it absorbs in part, by air admitted through the coupling 59, valve 60 and pipe 58, and into connecting pipe 36, through the valve 31, cylinder 33, valve 49, pipe 46, tube 55, faucet 22, coiled pipe 24, pipe 21', coupling 29, pipe 28, coiled pipe 25, faucet 23, tube 56, pipe 45, cylinder 32, back into the pipe 36. As the cylinders 32 and 33 are of glass, the operator can see the condition of the liquid passing therethrough, particularly through the cylinder 32, after the water and solution have passed through the above defined circuit. As his judgment and experience dictate, the operator actuates the lever 38 to shift the position of the valve 31 from that shown in Figure 3 to that shown in Figure 4, with the result that the direction of travel of the fluid in the circuit is reversed, producing a scouring action within the passages. When by test, based upon experience, the operator notes through the cylinders 33 that the water has absolutely cleared out the crystallization and foreign matter in the passages, the valve 60 is closed, thus shutting off the air pressure. The lever 38 is now turned so as to move the valve into the position substantially as shown in Figure 5 and whereby the contained air escapes through the outlet drain 39.

The third operation is the final cleansing, which is accomplished when water is admitted into the tank 40 and travels through the path substantially last above indicated and discharged through the outlet drain 39. This is a rinsing process and cleans out any chemicals, solution or foreign matter that may have been left in the passages and leaves the same entirely clean. The valve 60 is now opened and air under pressure passes through the circuit last above outlined, driving out any atoms or chemicals that may not have been eliminated by the cleansing process, after which the air valve 69 is closed. A quantity of salt, generally known as hay salt, or the like, is now placed in tank 40, and the last above described process repeated, water from the tank 40 passing through the tubes, cylinders, faucets, coils, etc., under air pressure, after which the process is repeated by cold water through the tank 40. If perchance the pipes 21 and 28 and the coils 24 and 25 are filled or partially filled with beer, the same should be returned to the barrels Ill and H before beginning of the cleansing process. This is accomplished in the system and apparatus disclosed herein by admitting air to the pipes 55 and 55 in the manner above described and driving the contents of the coils and pipes back into the barrels, after which -the coupling 29 is applied and the cleaning process is begun.

The foregoing description has been given for the purpose of clearance of understanding of the invention, and no undue limitations should be deduced therefrom, but the claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

What we claim as new is:

1. In an apparatus for cleaning pipes, the combination with companion cylinders having at one end a pipe connection therebetween; a valve in the pipe connection; a reservoir connected with said pipe connection; a pipe secured to the head of one of said cylinders having a reservoir connected therewith; a similar pipe secured to the other of said cylinders; and a pipe between said reservoirs.

2. In an apparatus for cleaning pipes, the combination with companion cylinders having at one end a pipe connection therebetween; a valve in the pipe connection; a reservoir connected with said pipe connection; a pipe secured to the head of one of said cylinders having a reservoir connected therewith; a similar pipe secured to the other of said cylinders; a pipe between said reservoirs; and an air connection and companion shut-off valves in the last mentioned pipe, one valve upon each side of the air connection.

3. In an apparatus for cleaning pipes, the combination with companion cylinders having at one end a pipe connection therebetween; a valve in the pipe connection; a reservoir connected with said pipe connection; a pipe secured to the head of one of said cylinders having a reservoir connected therewith; a similar pipe secured to the other of said cylinders; companion flexible pipes, connected with the aforementioned pipes that are secured to the cylinder heads; and a pipe between said reservoirs.

- 4. In an apparatus for cleaning pipes, the combination with companion cylinders having at one end a pipe connection therebetween; a two-way valve in the pipe connection; a reservoir connected with and having an opening into said twoway valve and said pipe connection; a pipe secured to the head of one of said cylinders having a reservoir connected therewith; a similar pipe secured to the other of said cylinders; and pipe between said reservoirs. I

LIONEL I. RIVARD. CYRIL I. BOMS'I'ER. 

